Doctor of Physical Therapy

Program

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program prepares students to be outstanding clinicians in the practice of physical therapy. Graduates of the Doctor of Physical Therapy program are prepared to, provide leadership to the profession, and use their knowledge and skills to contribute to the health care of society.

As essential practitioners in the health care delivery system, physical therapists (PTs) assume roles in rehabilitation services, prevention and health maintenance programs, and professional and community programs. As professional members of the health care team, PTs supervise support personnel, serve as consultants to other health care personnel, serve as consultants to families and caregivers, participate in administrative services, and conduct clinical research. PTs also serve as advocates for health policy and standards of care that help ensure optimum care for their patients/clients.

What you'll learn

As a science, physical therapy examines human motion at the tissue, organ, and systems levels. In the clinical environment, PTs examine and evaluate patients/clients and implement procedural interventions that restore physical function for all people across the life span.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) curriculum produces broadly educated physical therapists, while being sensitive to the needs of the health care community and the students’ interests. The program strives to foster both intellectual and professional growth in students and is reflective of contemporary practice to prepare graduates for the ongoing changes in health care delivery.

The 31-month curriculum spans 10 academic quarters and consists of integrated didactic and clinical study with an emphasis on adult learning methodology. The curriculum consists of foundational courses during the first year, with subsequent quarters sequenced to progress through the hierarchy of educational objectives from simple to complex. All didactic material is organized for synthesis and application to professional practice.

What makes the Drexel DPT program unique?

Knowledgeable faculty who are recognized leaders in their areas of practice and who are invested in student success

Experiential learning that occurs both in our department managed and staffed clinical practices and with our clinical partners

Integrated clinical and research facilities that include multiple disciplines from the College of Nursing and Health Professions

Use of state-of-the-art healthcare technology including a standardized patient lab and simulation manikins

100% pass rate on state board licensure examination for the 30+ year history of the program

COMPLIANCE

The College of Nursing and Health Professions has a compliance process that may be required for every student. Some of these steps may take significant time to complete. Please plan accordingly.

Admission Requirements

Degree:A Bachelors Degree from an accredited institution in the United States or an equivalent international institution.

Mean cumulative GPA: 3.69

Mean cumulative science GPA: 3.54

International students that received a bachelor’s degree outside of the United States (or from native non-English speaking country) must submit a Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). For more information, please see the drop down at the bottom of this page.

StandardizedTests:
The Graduate Record Exam (GRE) is required. GRE scores can be sent to code 7795.
· Our minimum GRE scores are a combined verbal and quanitative score of 300 and a 4.0 on the writing section.
· Mean GRE scores: 155 verbal, 156 quantitative, and 4.0 analytical writing
International students that received a bachelor’s degree outside of the United States (or from native non-English speaking country) must submit a Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). For more information, please see the drop down at the bottom of this page.

Transcripts:

Applications: All applicants must apply through the Physical Therapy Centralized Application System (PTCAS) at www.ptcas.org.

Send all official transcripts directly to PTCAS. Copies do not need to be sent to Drexel.

Official transcripts from all universities attended as well as satisfactory completion (grade of "C" or higher) or plan to complete the following prerequisites (prerequisites below are for Fall 2015):

General biology with laboratory: two courses

Anatomy: one course (or the two-part series of anatomy and physiology I, II)

Physiology: one course (or the two-part series of anatomy and physiology I, II)

General chemistry with laboratory: two courses

General physics with laboratory: two courses (algebra or calculus based)

*Please note, students that attend a college/university that is on the quarters system will need to complete three biology and chemistry courses, as a full year’s worth of biology and chemistry is required.

References:Two letters of recommendation:

One letter required from a science-based professor or advisor.

One letter required from physical therapist.

All supporting application documents must be submitted through PTCAS.

Personal Statement/ Essay:Essay (PTCAS Application)

InterviewPersonal interview mandatory. Qualities such as maturity and effective interpersonal relationships are ascertained from the letters of recommendation and an interview. Any candidate who submits an application that is deemed competitive will be offered the opportunity to interview with the Program faculty. Overall, the interview is a time for the program faculty to learn more about the applicant, as well as an opportunity for the applicant to discover more about the program. Typically, current students are available during the interview times to give tours of the facilities as well as to offer their insights about the program.

Students are selected for admission into the program based primarily on the anticipation of their ability to successfully complete the curriculum. To make this judgment, the program's admissions committee uses the materials submitted by applicant, GRE scores, recommendations, and interview. No special consideration is given to state residents over non-residents, and there is no difference in tuition costs.

CV/Resume:N/A

Licenses:N/A

Clinical/Work/Volunteer Experience:50 or more volunteer, shadowing or paid internship hours are required.

Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL): Applicants who have not received a degree in the United States must take the TOEFL. Official score report must be sent directly from the Educational Testing Service. Drexel's TOEFL code is 2194. We require a score of at least 100.

Dress Regulations
There is no prescribed uniform for the DPT laboratory courses. Depending on the lab skills to be practiced and/or evaluated, students will need to be able to expose relevant body parts. Gym shorts or t-shirts are usually necessary. Female students may need to wear a halter-top, sports bra, or bathing suit top underneath their t-shirts. Professional dress is required for clinic visits, clinical education experiences and SPL. Students should also be aware of when guest speakers will be present and dress appropriately. Flat-heeled shoes or sneakers are recommended for lab and clinical settings. Students should avoid wearing open–toed and/or high heel shoes. Students are encouraged to wear their issued nametags or student identification badges within the lab and clinic visits. Course instructors will review any special clothing requirements for their laboratory sessions or clinic visits. During clinical education experiences, students adhere to the dress and nametag regulations of the facility. Failure to dress appropriately and bring necessary materials will lead to dismissal from the laboratory or clinic visit.

Scheduling Requirements
Drexel University supports an environment that respects the religious observances of others and is committed to make every reasonable effort to accommodate the religious observances of students. If a student misses lecture or lab due to religious obligations, they are responsible for making up the coursework that they have missed. This includes reaching out to instructors to meet regarding making up class time/lab work. Students are expected complete class assignments on time, and must inform instructors about any absences or conflicts with the examination / assignment schedule due to religious observances at the beginning of the quarter and well in advance of the anticipated absence. For more information, please visit the Provost’s website to review the Religious Observance Statement.

Curriculum

Clinical Education

A strong history of comprehensive clinical education exists for our professional students. The clinical education for the DPT program is integrated into the didactic portions of the curriculum so that knowledge obtained in the classroom is readily put into practice. The DPT program has contracts with hundreds of clinical sites across the nation, representing all facets of professional practice. Students are required to complete four clinical education experiences that offer various levels of acuity in different clinical environments. The first clinical education experience is 6 weeks in length, clinical education II and III are 10 weeks long, and the fourth experience, the clinical internship, is 12 weeks.

Students may select from clinical sites that offer experiences in pediatrics, adult rehabilitation, geriatrics, orthopedics, sports medicine, and industrial and occupational rehabilitation.

Accreditation

The Professional Doctor of Physical Therapy Program at Drexel University is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE)

Outcomes

Graduates of the DPT Program are prepared to work as competent physical therapy professionals in a variety of health-care settings including, but not limited to, acute care hospitals, outpatient orthopaedics, pediatrics, geriatrics, adult neurological rehabilitation, and sports medicine. Our graduates are innovative practitioners who value life-long learning and assume leadership positions in their area of practice.

Measurable Outcomes
We are proud of the accomplishments of students graduating from the Drexel DPT program :

State Board Licensing Pass rate:

2011 - 100%

2012 - 100%

2012 - 100%

3 year average - 100%

Graduation rate:

2011 - 94%

2012 - 100%

2012 - 94%

3 year average - 96%

Six month employment rate:

2011 - 100%

2012 - 100%

2012 - 100%

3 year average - 100%

The Department of Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Sciences has 9,000 sq ft of dedicated research laboratory space.
Learn more here.